The Ugly Face of the Gandhis

The Indian National Congress is probably the most unique political party in the world. No, not because it is headed by a woman who holds a foreign passport (and not an Indian passport), and certainly not because it is a party with a ruling dynasty.

The INC is unique because it has an unstated and unwritten rule that if the member aspires to a leadership role, at any level, (s)he has to be sycophant par excellence. Nothing that is critical of the Gandhi Family (with a Capital 'F') can ever be said; the party leader brooks no dissent against her dictatorial ways.

Without a nod from the Gandhis, none of the party's members, be they ministers or organisational workers, can dare open their mouths. The only time they can do so is to extol the greatness of Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi, the incomparable sacrifice of Sonia Maino (said to be the name on her Italian passport) in giving up prime ministerial aspirations, and the dynamic leadership of their Rahul Baba.

If there is one reason why self-respecting Indians (except for the kow-towing Congress workers) have come to lose all respect for the Gandhis, it is Digvijay Singh.

Digvijaya Singh is anything but a careless speaker: his remarks are tongue-in-cheek; his targets are people who are making life difficult for the Gandhis in particular and the INC in general.

Diggy Raja's actions speak for his penchant for sycophancy of the Gandhis. To appease the Muslim community, the Congress' traditional vote bank, he went to Azamgarh, a village in Uttar Pradesh known as the nursery of radical Islamists. Speaking at the village mosque, he abused a brave Delhi policeman who was killed in a police encounter with Islamist terrorists. He claimed that the slain policeman was corrupt and was killed by a police bullet and not by the terrorists, so that his family could claim compensation from the government.

Ever since the India Against Corruption movement started, Diggy Raja has been digging out dirt and leveling allegations of corruption against Team Anna members. (I am not a fan of Anna Hazare; but I will save that story for some other day.) He has not been able to produce any evidence in support of his allegations.

Diggy Raja said that "the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was trying to bring in Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in their campaign against the government, while urging the spiritual guru not to get involved in this... The RSS had earlier brought in yoga guru Baba Ramdev and social activist Anna Hazare in the campaign... The RSS is doing this to divert the country's attention from its terror activities."

And how has the yoga guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar responded to Digvijayâ€™s â€˜ABC planâ€™ tweet? The yoga guru said that Diggy Raja's comment is not worth responding too and that he doesnâ€™t fear any one and will continue to raise his voice against the malice of corruption. In fact, he has advised Diggy Raja to enroll for the â€˜Art of Livingâ€™ course.

Do you think a senior leader like Digvijay Singh can dare level such bizarre allegations against highly-respected citizens without Sonia Gandhiâ€™s permission?

Sonia is firing salvos against people who are trying to bring in a positive change in our corruption-riddled polity and society. And she is firing these salvos from the shoulders of one of her most trusted sycophants: Diggy Raja.